Voters heading to the polls should be aware they are going to find an inflated ballot.
This matter is going to affect all voters no matter what party you choose.
Several candidates on the Republican ticket are no longer running. Of the numerous candidates you’re going to find on your ballot Tuesday, only five are still running.
To a lesser extent, the same is going to be true on the Democratic ballot.
The reason these names are still on the ballot is due to the current laws, which state once a person qualifies to run in an election their name can not be removed from the ballot.
Why this law was created is invalid at this point, but it’s obvious something should be done to allow change prior to Election Day.
If every voter was diligent enough to research the matter before heading to the polls, the law could stay the same. But, busy work and family schedules can prevent people from having the time to read up on the candidates still in the running.
That leaves the matter to those who make laws, or control the way names are added and subsequently left on a ballot.
When a candidate stops traveling along the campaign trail, his name should be removed. Since electronic machines are being used to collect votes these days, it seems to be an easy fix that would require only a simple patch.
But it would require a certain set of standards. Most of them are already in place. A simple deadline with which to create the ballot closer to the actual election would help alleviate the problem.
Understandably there would still be times when a candidate drops out of the race after the deadline, but that could be a first step in at least reducing the number of candidates still on the ballot who threw in the towel a month prior.